NEW YORK: Pakistan on Monday expressed “profound concern” over the developments in Venezuela, warning that escalating tensions in the country posed risks to regional and international peace and security.
The statement was made at an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) summoned to discuss the recent developments in Venezuela. This is also the first meeting for the year of the UNSC, with Somalia in the chair.
Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative Ambassador Usman Jadoon said in his address that at a time when the world was already facing multiple crises, instability in the region “does not augur well for regional and international peace and security”.
He reminded Council members that the UN Charter bound states to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, and to uphold sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
Ambassador Jadoon added that unilateral military action contravened these “sacrosanct principles” as well as the doctrine of sovereign immunity, warning that such actions set dangerous precedents and risked eroding the foundations of the global legal framework.
He cautioned that such actions also fuel instability, which, “as history has shown time and again, can lead to unpredictable and uncontrollable outcomes for years to come“.
Calling for de-escalation, the Pakistani envoy said that at this critical juncture, “the path forward must be one of dialogue and diplomacy,” stressing that durable solutions to political differences could only be achieved through peaceful means and with full respect for the will of the Venezuelan people, free from external interference.
He expressed hope that Latin America and the Caribbean, recognised as a ‘Zone of Peace’, would remain free from conflict and confrontation and continue moving towards enhanced regional cooperation and improved prosperity.
Pakistan urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, de-escalate tensions, refrain from actions that could exacerbate the situation, and engage in dialogue, including by utilising sincere offers of mediation.
Jadoon noted that the offices of the secretary-general remained available for that purpose.
Concluding his remarks, he reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to contributing constructively to the Security Council’s primary responsibility for addressing threats to international peace and security by diffusing tensions, promoting pacific settlement and upholding respect for international law and the UN Charter.
“Peace and stability of Venezuela and the welfare and prosperity of its people, with full ownership, must be the overriding objective of all efforts,” he said.
